Heel-sweep.



H. A. DEAN.

HEEL SWEEP.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE-.30, 1913.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.

HADm l HE NORRIS PETERS 00:. PHOTO-LITHO. WASHING TON D C.

HENRY A. DEAN, 0F ROME, GEORGIA.

HEEL-SWEEP.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Mar. 2, 1915.-

Application filed June30, 1913. Serial No. 776,691.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HENRY A. DEAN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Rome, in the county of Floyd and State of Georgia, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Heel-Sweeps; and I dodeclare the following to be a full, clear, and exact description of theinvention, such as will enable others skilled in the art to which itappertains to make and use the same.

This invention relates to plows, and more especially it is a scrapingattachment adapted to be connected with the plow beam or plow-stock, andused particularly in the cultivation of cotton, corn, and grain. Inother words, it is an improvement on that line of devices known as heelsweeps.

The purpose of the present invention is to strengthen sweeps of thiskind at the points where they are weakest, and yet to do so withoutincreasing the weight.

The invention likewise aims to provide a sweep so constructed as tocause its angle and its arms to travel equi-distantly into the earth.

I have in mind the well-known Terrell heel sweep patented in 1893,Number504315; and the present invention includes the punciples of constructiontherein contained, with certain additions and amplifications as will beset forth in the following specifications and claims, and are shown inthe drawings wherein-- Figure 1 is a plan view of this improved heelsweep. Fig. 2 is a cross section on the line 2-2 of Fig. 1, and Fig. 3 across section through the center of the line 3-3 of Fig. 1. Fig. 4 is anupper edge view looking in about the direction indicated by the arrow inFig. 2. Fig. 5 is a sectional view showing slight modifications.

As is well known to those familiar with this art, heel sweeps arescraping devices adapted to be attached to the lower ends of the plowbeam or plow-stock, and the common practice is to manufacture them byrolling strips of iron of the proper cross section, cutting the stripsinto lengths, and then giving each length a bend at about its mid-lengthso as to produce a substantially V-shaped structure Whose apex isflattened and moves forward as the heel sweep is in use. The bend ismade on a line oblique to the plane of the length of the strip, so

that eventually each fluke or leaf of the V-shaped member standsinclined at about I an angle of 45 to the horizontal, with the resultthat there is a fullness of metal near the apex, it is bulged to thefront, and the angle of the flattened portion which is attached to theplow-stock is greater than 45. As usually constructed, these devices aresusceptible of being bent by the farmer or other user who hasindifi'erent means of heating them, and therefore they are made of suchmaterial that they can be bent so grew thinner toward each edge thereof,the

lower edge being ground on its rear side and also on its front side toproduce a cutting edge. On this understanding I will proceed with adescription of the details of the present invention.

The body portion of the metal strip of V which my improved heel sweep ismade, designated as 1 in the drawings, is about a quarter of an inch inthickness, and this thickness obtains for about one-half the width ofthe strip, being the central half j and below the uppermost quarter andabove the lowermost. The latter is beveled on its rear side as at 2, andthe bevel is carried completely downward to the cutting edge 3. Theremaining one-quarter of the width of the strip is thickened as at 4, byproducing a bead or rib on the rear face of the body 1 along its upperedge; and in the modified form shown in Fig. 5 this bead or rib has agroove 5 along it, virtually dividing the same into two beads or ribs.In Figs. 1 and 4 it will be seen that after the strip of metal is bentinto V-shaped form, or perhaps in the act of bending it, a bulge 6 isproduced at each side of what might be called the flattened center 7 andparticular attention is directed to the fact that the bead or rib 4throughout the length of said center is thicker than elsewhereas'indicated by the reference numeral 4, this thickness being carriedaround above the bulges 6 and out into the blades or flukes for a shortdistance. The particular purpose of this increase in thickness of thebead is to give the heel 7 strip is by preference dished a littlethroughout its width at both ends and at its center, and in the finishedarticle illustrated in Fig. 1 this dish is presented forward so that thecutting edge 3 moves almost edge on through the soil. However, I do notwish to be unnecessarily limited to this dishing of the body, and Fig. 5is shown as absolutely straight. In any event, I would make the frontand rear faces of the body portion 1 parallel, and 1 would carry theflat or slightly dished front face clear to the upper edge and clear tothe lower edge, whereas the rear face of the rib might be flat, rounded,grooved as shown at 5, or of other configuration and the rear side orbevel 2 is preferably flat although that also might be of slightlydifferent shape. When the device becomes dull it is ground along thisbevel ina manner well understood.

With a heel sweep as thus constructed, the greatest strength existsalong the upper edge of the blade or fluke and especially around thebend at the upper edge of the central portion. The blades are thickenedby the ribs 4, and the central portion is not only thickened by said ribbut the rib itself is made a little thicker as at a to offset theweakening produced by the opening 8. Yet the addition of this rib andthe slight increase of its thickness at its center, does not materiallyadd to the weight of the entire device, nor to its cost; and thedisposition of the rib along the upper edge of the device does notprevent the farmer or user from bending its lower edge in case hedesires to sweep a slightly wider or narrower path, because he would inthat event probably bend the outer ends of the cutting edges eitheroutward or inward, along their lower edges. If, however, he shoulddesire to materially alter the shape and size of the device, it ispossible for him to heat it and then bend it at will if it is made ofthe proper material, as the addition of the rib l throughout each bladeor fluke and the thickened rib 4 around the center, does not prevent.

I do not wish to be limited to the material or the proportion of parts.

What I claim as new is:

l. A heel sweep for cultivation, comprising a single sheet of metal bentinto substantially \!shape in plan view, the outer and front side of thesweep thus formed being inclined upwardly and rearwardly, and beingdished at its angle and'for a short distance from each end thereof, saidsweep having its rear side tapering downwardly and forwardly and beingprovided with a reinforcing rib at the upper and rear portion thereof,substantially as described.

2. The herein described heel sweep formed of a single strip of metalbent into substantially \/shape in plan View, the outer side of thesweep thus formed being inclined upwardly and rearwardly and beingdished at its angle and at its two ends, whereby said angle and endswill be drawn equi-distantly into the earth, and the portion of saidouter side between said angle and said ends being fiat.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my hand in presence ofsubscribing witnesses.

HENRY A. DEAN.

Witnesses:

F. M. IRWIN, P. B. HARBOUR, A. W. REoMoND.

@oplea of this patent may be obtained. for five cents each, byaddressing the Gommissioncr of Patents.

Washington, D. C.

